Dubai is standing tall as the region’s tourism power house with Dhs. 454 billion invested in upcoming tourism projects. Out of the total Dhs 1 trillion investments in tourism projects in AGCC countries, Dubai alone accounts for 45.4 per cent of the Dhs. 858 billion worth of projects in the UAE, a market survey conducted by Reeds Exhibitions has revealed.

As a leading tourist destination in the world, Dubai is giving other favoured tourist destinations like Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney, a run for their money. In 2006, it opened its doors to as many as 6.5 million visitors with the numbers expected to swell to 15 million in 2010, by the time many of Dubai’s awe-inspiring projects are completed.

In 2007, Dubai scored heavily on the world tourism destination chart, when its hotel establishments recorded the highest occupancy rates and revenues in January 2007.

The construction of some grandiose and seemingly impossible projects has helped focus the global spotlight on Dubai with the emirate gaining the reputation of making the impossible possible. A brand new sky scraper, the Burj Dubai with more than 160 habitable floors and estimated height of 700 metres will be complete this year, dwarfing the others namely the Petronas Twin Tower in Malaysia and Taipei 101.

The World, a cluster of 300 man-made islands in the shape of different countries in the world is yet one more man-made wonder after the Jumeirah Palm, that has grabbed the limelight. The Palm has added a phenomenal amount of extra coastline apart from providing celebrities like David Beckham and Shahrukh Khan some of the most expensive residences on the face of the planet.

Nakhleel is already well into its US $ 1.8 billion project to create the 300 islands of the World” that will eventually resemble the shape of the world. Built four kilometers offshore, each island will be sold as a private retreat with Hawaii available for a few millions of dirhams.

Fans of Disneyland might now head for Dubai. The first phase of Dubailand, expected to be completed this year. The mega leisure and entertainment project will feature six themed worlds and more than 200 leisure and entertainment projects. There are innumerable theme parks, museums, galleries, spa resorts, academies and a Manchester United Soccer School that are part of the master plan.

The key driver for tourism will be the completion of the estimated $ 27 billion Bawadi, the world’s largest hotel complex that will add 30 hotels and 29,000 hotel rooms to Dubai’s already very large repertoire of 40,862 hotels and furnished apartments. Built in Las Vegas style, Bawadi will be constructed in different phases over the next 8 years wowing tourists from the world over.

The latest is a $ 1 billion logistics harbour and park that will link mainland Dubai with The World, a cluster of 300 man-made islands developed by Nakheel. The logistics park located next to Port Rashid will be Dubai’s very own Maldives Island. Expected to be completed within one and a half years, the logistics park will have 5,000 hotel rooms with hotels operating shuttle boat services for their guests.

Tourism currently contributes more than 30 per cent to Dubai’s economy. As it races ahead of others to wrest the title of the most sought-after tourist destination in the world, boom time for the tourism industry is here to stay.

Posted : 21/01/208
Source : GoDubai

The inaugural edition of the Tourism Development Projects and Investment Market (TDIM ) is currently being held at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre (Jan 20-22) providing an industry platform for the region’s biggest stakeholders in the tourism sector. The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Nakheel, Dubai World Central, Emirates Airlines, Falcon City of Wonders , Dubailand, Aldar Properties, Al Qudra Real Estate and Al Hanoo Holdings are some of the major participants of the trade fair.